Combination lock



Jan. 27, 1942. w. A. PETERS COMBINATION LOCK Filed April 10, 1940 5Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 27, 1942. w, A. PETERS k COMBINATION-LOCK FiledApril 10, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan, 27, 1942. w. A. PETERS 2,271,204

COMBINATION LOCK Filed April 10. 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 53? V 9 4y I f6/27 Q @j w 425/ Aim/ml /lHHIV// ll 34 /9 6' @2622 for ZZZ/[Z6777 6/2215Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION LOCKWilliam A. Peters, Chicago, 111. Application April 10, 1940, Serial No.328,809

20 Claims.

The present invention has for its general object the provision of a verysimple, inexpensive, compact, and efficient combination lock adaptedparticularly to be used for locking books, handbags, and the like, andzipper closures for the same, and which may be made in larger sizes forall purposes for which combination locks are used.

A particular object of the invention is to pro- Vide a combination lockembodying a series of rotatable disks which is so constructed that noneof the operative disks contacts'with another or others thereof, andwherein, furthermore, the proper positioning of the several operative.disks relatively to each other to effect unlocking, cannot be determinedby sense of touch, as is true of many of the more conventional locks ofthis character. 1

Another important object of the invention is to so construct the look asto include therein a retially cylindrical and shallow sheet metal casingI, equipped with an extension portion 2 at one point into which thelatch bolt 3 may be projected.

The peripheral wall of the casing l is equipped with integralprojections 4 which are initially straight and are adapted to passthrough a cover ciprocable latch bolt movable manually along a Ydiametric line of the housing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the typespecified wherein the operative disks cannot be moved while the latchbolt is disposed in unlatching position.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in'or readilyunderstood from the following specification.

A suitable embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, where- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of abookequipped with a lock constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale showing the lockand the latch member of same, with the latter in released position.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view of the lock taken on the line 3--3 ofFig. 13.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the structure seensubstantially from the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 7 are plan views, respectively, of the fixed ring members ofthe structure.

Figs. 6, 8 and 9 are plan views showing the rings of the structure whichare operative from the exterior of the casing.

Fig. 10 is a plan sectional view taken on the line Ill-40 of Fig. 13.

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are fragmentary detail sectional radial views takenrespectively on the lines l I-- ll, I2--I2 and l3 l3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view to constitute a box-likestructure.

of a book or wall of ahand bag but which, before being so passed, arebent to the form shown in dottedlines at 5 inFig. 13 to provide offsetstherein which underlie and engage the bottom closure plate 6 of thecasing l to hold the latter in place, said projections 4 being bent orcrimped toward the center of the casing to secure the latter in place. I

The latch bolt 3 constitutes one arm of a substantially Z-shaped sheetmetal member which the depth of the casing I while the main arm 8 Thearm 3 rests upon the closure plate 6 which includes the extensionportion that constitutes the bottom wall of the extension portion 2 ofthe casing, said portion 2 being peripherally flanged The middle portion1 of the latch bolt extends throughout the depth of the casing 1 whilethe main arm 8 of said member lies in contact with the upper wall of thecasing I. Said upper wall includes a central offset portion 9 which isprovided with a slot through which the shank of an operating button Inextends, said shank being rigid with said main arm 8 of said latch bolt.The latter as a whole is referred to hereinafter as the member 8.

The upper wall of the extension 2 of the casing I is offset downwardlyfrom the offset portion 9 of the upper wall of the main portion of thecasing l and the same and the portion of the bottom wall 6, which closessaid extension 2, are provided with slots II to receive the tongue I2 ofthe latch member l3 whichis suitably secured to a member M which may bea strap or the slide of a zipper closure. Said tongue I2 is providedwith a slot l2a to receive the arm of the plunger 8, as shown in Fig.13. e

As shown in Fig. 14, the tongue l5of a frame member I6 of a hand bag, orthe like, may pass through the extension portion 2 of the casing fromthe bottom instead of the top.

The offset portion 9 of the casing I is bordered by a marginal shoulderI? which bears three sets of indicia, each set of the same occupyingsubstantially one-third of the arcuate length of said shoulder. Theindicia of the several sets may comprise letters of the alphabet ornumerals or other characters or devices, but in the instanceillustrated, it hasbeen elected to use a set, of equally spaced apartnumerals for the set A of indicia which is diametrically opposed to theportion 2 of the casing, and to use letters of the alphabet for theindicia of the sets B and C of indicia disposed on respectively oppositesideportions of the shoulder I'I.

Associated with the respective sets of indicia A, B and C are theoperating levers a, b and 0, respectively, by means of which therespective rings I8, I9 and 29 within the casing are actuated, the saidrings being shown, respectively, in

Figs. 3 and 6 (ring I8) and in Figs. 8and 9.(rings I9 and 26) .Each ofsaid rings of the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the lowerportion of the casing I.

In assembling the lock, the ring I8 is. first dropped into the theninverted casing. This ring is equipped with two inwardly projectingtongues 2| which are diametrically opposed to each other (see Fig. 3)and are offset toward and to-project into the ofiset portion 9 of thetop wall of the casing I (see Figs. 3 and 12). The projections 2| areprovided with threaded openings to receive theshanks of set screws 22(Fig. 12) the-heads of which engage the marginal portion of a ring 23 toclamp the latter against said projections 2| said projection 26 beingdisposed below the-portionof the shoulder I'I bearing the set-A ofindicia.

-Below the ring 25 lies a ring 21 which isintegral with the lever a andis equipped with the radially inwardly extending L-shaped arm'28,

the inner end flange or tongue 29 of which engages in the recess 24 ofthe ring 23 and which transmits motion to said rings 23 and I8 asdescribed hereinafter.

Below the ring 21 there lies a ring 33' which is substantially identicalwith the ring 25-except as to location of its arcuate projection 3|relatively to the recess 32 thereof which receives the arm I of aplunger 8 when the latter is retracted from looking position. The ring25 is equipped with a recess 33 which registers with the recess 32 whenboth rings 25 and 39 are mounted in the casing I.

Below the ring 3!! lies the ring I 9 equippedwi-th operating arm orlever c and below the ring -I9 lies another ring 34 which isidentical'with the ring 39 shown-in'Fig. 7 reversed -'inposition so thatthe arcuate projection is disposed to theleft of the recess 32.

Thering 29 equipped with operating lever b is disposed betweenthe ring34 and the bottom plate 6 of the casing.

The ringsyIS, 21, -I9 and "-29 are equipped'with peripheral recesses'35; 36-, 31-, and I 38; respectively,

corresponding in shape and size with the recesses of the several rings25, 30 and 34 and are adapted to be brought into register therewith byoperation of levers a, b and c to permit the plunger 8 to be retractedfrom looking position. The tongue 3 of said plunger 8 is bordered byguide projections 39 struck up from the plate 6 (Figs. 3, l0 and 13).

The arcuate portion of the peripheral wall of the casing is composed'inpart. of arcuate flanges bordering the shoulder I! and in part ofarcuate edge flanges of the plate 6, as is illustrated in part in Fig. 4and in Fig. 3. The latter shows three flanges 40, M and 42 which are ofstepped formation and have side edge portions spaced apart'to snuglyreceive the arcuate projections of the rings 25, 39 and 34 between them.

The arcuate flanges of the plate 6 are disposed in staggered relation tothose of the casing referred to as 40, 4| and 42, the relativearrangement ofthe two sets of flanges being such that each of -the=rings21,19 and 29 may be rotated through predetermined arcs.

Thus the ring 2'1 isrotatable through an are equal to the arcuate lengthof the-set A of in- 'dicia while the rings l9 and 20 are rotatable onlythrough arcs of a-length such as will prevent the locking recessesthereof from becoming visible through the slots in which the levers band care rotatable.

'flanges of the casing-I and the plate 6 issuch that only the arcuateprojection, such as 26, of the several fixed rings will be visibletogether with arcuate portions of the rings 21', 'I9and'20 "of a lengthequal to the lengthofmovement-of the levers a, b and 0, respectively,--from the exterior of the casing.

Fragmentary portions .of arcuate flanges 4| and42 of the casing anda'fragmentary; part ofv a similar flange of the, plate 6- are shown jinFig. 4, the portion of the plate 6 to the right of prong 4 of saidfigure being devoid of an arcuate .flange.

'The length of the recess of the ring-23 which is clamped to the ring I8(the onlyone .not visible from the exterior of the casing) isappreciably less .thanthe length of arcuate movement'of the lever 'of aring 21 for reasons hereinafter set forth.

The diameter of the central openingjof all rings, except the ring "I8,is so much larger'than that of the latter, that access to the set screws22 may be had through the openings 45 in the plate 6, the latter and thering I8 being also equipped with openings 46 and'4'I'which are inregister when thelock recess of ,thering I8 is in register with the lockrecesses-of the fixed rings, the said openings 46 and 41 being inward ofthe circumferential walls of the openings in the fixed rings and therings 21,19 and20.

Obviously, the positions of the levers b and c with respect to theirspacing from the lock recesses of the disks I9 and 20 determine which ofthe indicia of the sets B and C, respectively said levers must registerwith to bring said lock recesses intoregistenwith those'of the fixedrings and this can be'variedonly byinterchange of rings l9and2U,--respectively, withother similar rings wherein the spacing ofsaid levers b and c from the lock recesses of said rings is greater orless than that herein illustrated if it is desired to change thecombination.

In the instance illustrated the lock presents.

actually a four point combination which can be changed onlyas to one ofthe indicia of the entire set to be used in operating the look.

It will be noted that the ring 21 is provided with the peripheral lockrecess 36 which is 011.- set slightly from a position diametricallyopposite to the projection 29 thereof, which engages in the recess 24 ofthe ring 23, as shown in Fig. 3, said ring 23 being adjustablerelatively to the ring I8., as above described. I

It may be assumed that the levers a, b and c, as shown in Fig. 2, are inthe position wherein the lock recesses of the disks 21, I9 and 28 are inregister with the lock recesses of the several fixed rings and that thelever a has been previously manipulated to bring the disk I8 into theposition shown in Fig. 3, as by having first moved the lever a to theextreme right hand limit of its movement and then. back to register withthe graduations 3 of the scale A and having then been moved intoregister with graduation 7, as shown.

If it is desired to change the combination, the several disks I8, I9, 28and 21 are brought into the last-described positions and the latchplunger 8 then moved to the position shown in Fig. 3. This holds theopening 41 of the ring I8 in reg ister with the opening 46 of the bottomwall of the casing and a pin, such as a rivet, is then inserted throughopening 46 and into opening 41. After this has been done, the latchplunger 8 is projected forward and out of the lock recesses afterloosening the screws 22, and then while the said pin or rivet holds thering I8 against rotation, the lever a is manipulated to throw the ring23 into a different position relatively to the ring I8 than as shown,for example, in Fig. 3, the efiect of this being to change the positionof the recess 24 relatively to the locking recesses of the disk I8. Ineffecting this adjustment of the ring 23 the lever a is moved in toengagement with either of the two end walls of recess 24 and is thenmoved farther in the same direction until the position of lever aregisters with the selected graduations on scale A. The screws 22 arethen tightened to maintain ring 23 in this new position relatively tothe ring I8 and thereafter the operation is exactly as previouslypointed out.

Obviously, the number of rings such as I9 and 20 may be increased ordiminished and suitable changes made in the length of the slots throughwhich their operating levers project, or said disks I9 and 20 may beomitted entirely to reduce the combination to a two-point one, or ifonly one of the disks I9 or 28 is used, the combination becomes athree-point one, it being an advantage,

of the structure that it may be varied in depth according to the numberof movable rings intended to be used, thus adapting the structure to bemade very shallow, if desired.

The levers b and c are equipped, preferably, with differently coloredknobs or buttons (such as red and blue) while the outer end portion ofthe lever a is maintained in the same finish (such as nickel plating),as the casing I; said finish being substantially white. Thus thecombination may be explained readily by reference to red, white and bluebuttons or levers, respectively.

In Fig. 15, there is illustrated a ring 49 which may be substituted'forthe ring I8 and which is.

equipped with an arcuate slot 58 and with a lock recess 5|. Theprojection 29 of the arm 28 of the disk 21 will engage in the arcuaterecess 58 to actuate the ring 49 in exactly the same manner as ring I8is actuated via the ring 23, the latter being omitted, obviously, fromthe structure.

When the ring 49 is used in place of rings I8 and 23, the combinationwill not be capable of change, except by replacing the ring 49, asshown, with another ring of the same type wherein the spacing betweenthe lock recess 5| and the arcuate slot 50 is changed.

In ordinary use, as on a womans hand bag, the several levers a, b and 0may be maintained in the respective positions wherein the plunger 8 isfreely operative to lock and unlock the bag, or one of said levers maybe moved slightly out of that position so that it can be quicklyrestored thereto to permit opening of the bag.

While in the instance illustrated, the rings I8 and 21 are shown asdisposed immediately below the top wall of the casing, it will beobvious that the same may be disposed at any level within the limitspermitted by the depth of the cas- I claim as my invention:

1. A commutation lock including a casing of mainly cylindrical contourcomposed of a top member and a bottom member equipped respectively withdownwardly and upwardly projecting flanges disposed in staggeredrelation to each other with the ends of the flanges of one memberabutting the ends of those of the other to prevent relative rotation ofsaid members, the relative heights of the flanges of the respectivemembers being such'as to cause their opposed horizontal edges to definea plurality of horizontal slots in the cylindrical contour portion ofthe peripheral wall of the casing disposed at respectively differentelevations and spaced arcuately from each other, and flat sheet metalmembers rotatable on the axis of said casing portion and disposedin-alignment with the several respective slots and equipped withoperating levers projecting through the latter.

2. A commutation lock including a casing of mainly cylindrical contourcomposed of a top member and a bottom member equipped respectively withdownwardly and upwardly projecting flanges disposed in staggeredrelation to each other with the ends of the flanges of one memberabutting the ends of those of the other to prevent relative rotation ofsaid members, the relative heights of the flanges of the respectivemembers being such as to cause their opposed horizontal edges to definea plurality of horizontal slots in the cylindrical contour portion ofthe peripheral wall of the casing disposed at respectively differentelevations and spaced arcuately from each other, and flat circular sheetmetal members snugly fitting and journalled by said casing portion forrotation about the axis thereof and disposed respectively in alignmentwith said respective slots and equipped with operating levers projectingthrough the latter.

3. A commutation lock including a casing of mainly cylindrical contourcomposed of a top member and a bottom member equipped respectively withdownwardly and upwardly projecting flanges disposed in staggeredrelation to each other with the ends of the flanges of one memberabutting the ends of those of the other to prevent relative rotation ofsaid members, the relative heights of the flanges of the respectivemembers being such as to cause their opposed horizontal edges to definea plurality of horizontal slots in thecylindrical contour portion of theperipheral wall of the casing disposed at respectively diflerentelevations and spaced arcuately from each other, and fiat circular sheetmetal members snugly fitting and journalled by said casing portion forrotation about the axis thereof and disposed respectively in alignmentwith said respective slots and equipped with operating levers projectingthrough the latter, and a plurality of non-rotatable fiat sheet metalspacing members equipped with arcuate projections extending into saidslots and disposed in staggered relation to said last-named members.

4. A look of the type specified including 2. casing of arcuateperipheral contour throughout an arc greater than 180, said arcuateportion constituting a bearing for a plurality of rota-table members,rotatable members journalled at different elevations within said bearingand each equipped with an operating lever disposed exteriorly of andprojecting through an arcuate slot in the peripheral wall of saidarcuate wall of said casing, said slots spaced arcuately from eachother, said portion of said casing bearing sets of indicia correspondingwith the number of said members and disposed relatively to the severalslots to guide the operator in the manipulation of said members, each ofthe latter equipped with a peripheral recess, a reciprocable latchplunger disposed within the portion of the easing bordered by the saidarcuate wall portion and movable radially thereof into and out ofengagement with the recesses of said members when said recesses are inregister with each other at a point between the ends of said arcuatewall of said casing.

5. A look of the type specified including a casing of arcuate peripheralcontour throughout an are greater than 180, said arcuate portionconstituting a bearing for a plurality of rotatable members, rotatablemembers journaled at different elevations within said bearing and eachequipped with an operating lever disposed exteriorly of and projectingthrough an arcuate slot in the peripheral wall of said arcuate Wall ofsaid casing, said slots spaced arcuately from each other, said portionof said casing bearing sets of indicia corresponding with the number ofsaid members and disposed relatively to the several slots to guide theoperator in the manipulation of said members, each of the latterequipped with a peripheral recess, a reciprocable latch plunger disposedwithin the portion of the casing bordered by the said arcuate wallportion and movable radially thereof into and out of engagement with therecesses of said members when said recesses are in register with eachother at a point between the ends of said arcuate wall of said casing,said casing including a lateral extension portion into which one endportion of said plunger projects.

6. A lock of the type specified including a relatively fiat, shallowcasing having an arcuate wall portion perpendicular to the top andbottom walls thereof and equipped with a plurality of slots parallelwith said bottom wall and disto be brought into register at a pointbetween the ends'of said arcuate wall portion by manipulation of saiddisks, a reciprocable latch plunger mounted upon the top wall of thecasing for movement radially of the said arcuate wall portion andbridging the outer edge portion of the uppermost of said members andhaving a portion thereof disposed to engage in said recesses of saidmembers when said recesses are disposed in register with each other andincluding a tongue adapted to engage in a companion latch member whensaid plunger is disengaged from said recesses, said casing including alateral extension portion into which said tongue projects.

7. In a lock of the type specified, a series of rotatable tumblersconsisting of parallel fiat, sheet metal rings of substantially uniforminner and outer diameters disposed at respectively different elevationsand one ring of smaller inner diameter than the remainder thereof, anoperating lever for each of the first-named rings, a member rotatablerelatively to the last-named ring and provided with means for engagingan operating projection, devices for clamping said member againstrotation with respect to the lastnamed ring, and a projection on one ofthe firstnamed rings for engagement with said means for actuating thelast-named ring.

8. In --a lock of the type specified, a series of rotatable tumblersconsisting of parallel, flat sheet 'metalrings of substantially uniforminner and outer diameters disposed at respectively different elevationsand one ring of smaller inner diameter than the remainder thereof, anoperating lever for each of the first-named rings, a member rotatablerelatively to the last-named ring and provided with means for engagingan operatingp'rojection, devices for clamping said member againstrotation with respect to the lastnamed ring, and a projection on one ofthe firstnamed rings for engagement with said means for actuating thelast-named ring, said means including spaced apart stop formations forpermitting l-irr'iited free movement of said projection therebe'tween.

9. In a lock of the kind specified, a casing having an arcuate outerwall portion constituting a bearing and provided with spaced-apart slotsdisposed at different elevations, a plurality of thin, flat ringsjournalled in said bearing within said casing and equipped withoperating levers projecting through said slots, another ring of smallerinner diameter than said first-named rings and devoid of an operatinglever, and a projection on one of the first-named rings for operatingthe last-named ring, the latter equipped with spaced apart stopformations disposed in the path of said projection for permitti'nglimited movement of the latter without actuating said ring 10. In a lockof the type specified, a series of rotatable tumblers consisting ofparallel fiat, sheet metal rings of substantially uniform inner andouter diameters disposed at respectively different elevations and onering of smaller inner diameter than the remainder thereof, an operatinglever for each of the first-named rings, a member rotatable relativelyto the last-named ring and provided with means for engaging an operatingprojection, devices for clamping said member against rotation withrespect to the last-named'ring, and a projection on one of thefirst-named rings for engagement with said means for actuating thelast-named ring, said last-named ring being disposed above thefirstnamed rings and said devices being-operable through the bottom wallof the casing.

11.'In a lock of the kind specified, a casing having an arcuate outerwall portion constituting a bearing and provided with spaced apart slotsdisposed at different elevations, a plurality of thin, fiat ringsjcurnalled in said bearing within said casing and equipped withoperating levers projecting through said slots, another ring of smallerinner diameter than said first-named ring and devoid of an operatinglever, a series of substantially similar rings alternated with theseveral aforesaid rings and engaged with'said casing wall portionagainst rotation, and a projection on one of the first-named ringsforoperT- ating the last-named ring, the latter equipped with spacedapart stop formations disposed in the path of said projection forpermitting limited movement of the latter without actuating said ring. v

12. In a lock of the type specified, a casing having an arcuateperipheral wall portion constituting a bearing and. equipped with aseries of arcuately spaced apart slots disposed at different elevations,a series of thin, fiat rotatable rings journalled in said bearing andequipped with operating levers projecting through said slots, anotherring of smaller inner diameter than the first-named rings disposed abovethe latter, all of said rings confined against vertical movementbetween'the top and bottom walls of the casing, one of said first-namedrings operatively associated with the last-named 'ring'to actuate thesame, each of said rings equipped with a peripheral recess and allthereof manipuz'.

label to bring said recesses into register at a point between the endsof said arcuate wall portion, said casing including a lateral portionhaving side walls joining the ends of the arcuate wall portion, areciprocable latchp'lunger having its main portion disposed in themiddle'portion of the top wall of the casing and operable through a slotin the latter, said lever including a middle portion adapted to engagein said recesses of said rings when the same are in register and atongue adapted to engage in a companion latch member when said plungeris'projected out of said recesses, and a companion latch member adaptedto project through a slot in a wall of said lateral portion of saidcasing and provided with a slot to receive said tongue.

13. In a lock of the type specified, a casing including anarcuateperipheral wall portion constituting a bearing, a plurality of thin,fiat rings journalled in said bearing, at least one of said ringsequipped with an operating lever projecting from said casing andequipped also with an inwardly extending projection for actuatinganother of said rings, means associated with the last-named ring forengaging said projection at spaced apart points in the rotation of thering equipped with the same, the latter and the ring actuated therebybeing each equipped with a peripheral recess and being manipulable tobring said recesses into register at a point between the ends of thesaid arcuate wall portion of the casing, and a reciprocable latchplunger mounted within the casing and operable to engage in saidrecesses when the latter are in register to disengage said plunger froma companion latch member, and a companion latch member including aslotted tongue adapted to be projected through a slot in a wall of saidcasing for engagement with said plunger when the latter is disengagedfrom said recesses.

14. Ina lock of the type specified, a casing including an arcuateperipheral wall portion constituting a bearing, a plurality of thin,fiat rings journalled in said bearing, at least one of said ringsequipped with an operating lever projecting from said casing andequipped'also with casing and operable to engage in said recesses whenthe latter are in register to disengage said plunger from a companionlatch member, and a companion latch member including a slotted tongueadapted to be projected through a slot in a wall of said casing forengagement with said plunger when the latter is disengagedfrom saidrecesses. Y

15. In a lock of the type specified, a casing equipped with an arcuategraduated scale, areciprocable latch plunger, a pair of rotatablemembers within the casing each provided with a recess and both adaptedto be positioned to bring said recesses into register at a point whereinthe plunger may be. moved to latch release position, one of said membersequipped with an operating lever projecting from and with a projectionwithin the casing engaged in 1 a cut-out portion of the latter memberfor actuating the latter, said cut-out portion'permitting free rotationthrough a given are of the member equipped with said projection withoutactuating the other member, and enabling the latter to be moved to aposition determined by the position of the operating lever relatively tothe graduated scale wherein said last-named member will be positionedto'permit'the last-named movement of said plunger when the'lever; op-,erated member is moved to another position on the scale within thelimits of its free movement relatively to the member having the cut-outportion.

16. A look of the type specified including a casing, a member rotatablewithin said casing and equipped with an operating device projecting fromsaid casing, a companion rotatable member concentric with saidfirst-named member,

- one of said members equipped with a recess spaced from its axis andthe other thereof equipped with a projection adapted to engage oppositewallsof said recess when said last named member is rotated inrespectively opposite directions, said recess being of such length thatsaid projection is capable of an appreciable length of movement withoutengaging either of the Walls of said recess, each of said membersequipped with a recess spaced from said first-named recess and saidprojection and adapted to become dis- 17. A look of the type specifiedcomprising a fiat casing provided with a peripheral slot, a pair of flatdisks rotatably mounted in said casing, oneof said disks equipped with alever projecting through said slot, cooperating means on said disks,whereby the motion of said lever-equipped disk is transmitted to theother disk when the former is rotated through more than a predeterminedarc of movement in either direction, a latching device associated withsaid disks, the latter and said device equipped with interengageablemeans adapted to permit said device to attain a position to preventrotation of said disks when the latter are disposed in predeterminedrelative positions, and a latch member adapted to be engaged by saiddevice when the latter is disposed in position permitting rotation ofsaid disks and to be released from such engagement when said device isdisposed in its first-named position.

18. A lock of the type specified comprising a flat casing provided witha peripheral slot, a pair of flat disks rotatably mounted in saidcasing, one of said disks equipped with a lever projecting through saidslot, cooperating means on said disks whereby the motion of saidleverequipped disk is transmitted to the other disk when the former isrotated through more than a predetermined arc of movement in eitherdirection, a latching device associated with said disks, the latter andsaid device equipped with interengageable male and female formationsadapted for interengagement when said disks are in a predeterminedposition relatively to each other and said device, and a latch memberadapted to be engaged by said device when the latter is disposed inposition permitting rotation of said disks and to be released from suchengagement when said device is disposed in its first-named position.

19. In a lock of the type specified, a casing equipped with a peripheralslot, a rotatable disk mounted in said casing and equipped with aprojection projecting through said slot, a second rotatable disk,cooperating means on said disks for effecting limited rotation of thesecond disk responsively to rotation of the first-named disk in eitherdirection through an arc of greater than a predetermined length,adjustable means on one of said disks for effecting variation in thepositions of the second disk relatively to the casing and with respectto indicia on the latter responsively to the movement of saidfirst-named disk, a latching device associated with said disks, thelatter and said device equipped with interengageable means adapted topermit said device to attain a position to prevent rotation of saiddisks when the latter are disposed in predetermined relative positions,and a latch member adapted to be engaged by said device when the latteris disposed in position permitting rotation of said disks and to bereleased from such engagement when said device is disposed in itsfirst-named position.

20. In a lock of the type specified, a casing equipped with a peripheralslot, a rotatable disk mounted in said casing and equipped with aprojection projecting through said slot, at second rotatable disk,cooperating means on said disks for efiecting limited rotation of thesecond disk responsively to rotation of the first-named disk in eitherdirection through an arc of greater than a predetermined length,adjustable means on one of said disks for efiecting variation in thepositions of the second disk relatively to the casing and with respectto indicia on the latter responsively to the movement of saidfirst-named disk, means adapted to permit said device to attain aposition to prevent rotation of said disks when the latter are disposedin predetermined relative positions, male and female formations adaptedfor interengagement when said disks are in a predetermined positionrelatively to each other and said device, and a latch member adapted tobe engaged by'said device when the latter is disposed in positionpermitting rotation of said disks and to be released from suchengagement when said device is disposed in its first-named position.

WILLIAM A. PETERS.

